Dental spacer



(No Model.) I

N. KU'NS. DENTAL SPACER.

No. 486,112. Patented Nov. 15,1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NATHANIEL KUNS, OF FAIRBURY, NEBRASKA.

DENTAL SPACER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,112, dated November15, 1892.

Application filed April 11, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL KUNs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fairbury, in Jefferson county and State of Nebraska, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Dental Regulators and Spacers,of which the following is a full and clear specification.

This invention relates to an improved dental regulator and spacer, andhas for its object to separate two contiguonsly-arranged crowded teethand hold the same apart for the purpose of cleaning or otherwisetreating the two contiguous surfaces thereof and be readily removed toallow the teeth to resume their normal position; and with this object inview the invention consists of the construction and arrangement of theparts, as will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device.Fig. 2 is a similar view of the parts thereof disconnected. Fig. 3 is anend elevation of the device.

' Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame-bars,which are bent near the'central portions thereof at an angle slightlyobtuse from a right angle and below a horizontal plane, and the lowerlimb or end of each bar 1 is also slightly twisted horizontally toproperly position the said parts for the retention and support of theremaining mechanism. The opposite ends of the said framebars arerespectively provided with right and left screw-openings 2, which areadapted to re ceive an adj Listing-bar 3, having right and leftoppositely-situated screw-threaded ends and a central square portion 4,with an opening 5 therein for the reception of a suitable tool orinstrument to turn the said adj usting-bar and regulate the position ofthe aforesaid frame-bars. The larger ends of each of the frame-bars 1 isformed with an elongated slot 6, in which are mounted jaws 7, each jawbeing composed of two parts comprising a stationary part 8 and a movablepart 9, said parts being connected to each other at their outer ends bya hinge-screw 10. The jaws are bent at an angle and are inserted throughslots 6 Serial No. 430,284. (No model.)

in the ends of the frame-bars l and held in position therein by screws11, passing centrally through the said ends of the framebars. Thestationary part of each jaw is firmly fastened to the farther end ofeach slot 6 and is immovable. The other jaw is left free to turn on itshinge and open to any desired extent within the limits of the slot inwhich it is located, and when closed together the jaws of each pair forma sharp point, and said points of the two sets of jaws are oppositelydisposed, as fully shown. hen the points are inserted between the teethit is desired to separate, they can only be opened by forcing the teethapart between which they are fixed. To effect this operation, a beveledindentation 12 is formed on the edge of each of the jaws composing apair, and

when the jaws are closed an oblong slot is formed by said indentations,which are provided with beveled edges. The center of each of said oblongslots is adjusted in such manner' as to be exactly in line with thescrewholes of the screws 11, and each of the screws 11 is formed with aconical lower separating end adapted to enter the said oblong slots ofthe jaws and spread the loose jaw of each pair away from the stationaryjaw. The upper end of each of the screws 11 is formed as a square headto receive a wrench or other suitable turning device, and by means ofthis construction it will be seen that the teeth can be gradually spreadapart by a very simple and convenient operation. The stationary jaw ofeach pair of jaws may be fixed in the lower end of each of theframe-bars in any manner desired, so long as it is held immovable andagainst which the lower spreading end of each of the screws '11 may havebearing to force the movable part of each of the jaws away from the saidimmovable or stationary part. Of course it will be understood that theframe-bars 1 will also be adjusted through the medium of theadjustingbar 3 to draw the points of the jaws nearer to or away fromeach other.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is In adevice of the character set forth, the combination of frame-bars havinglower bent ends, as set forth, and screw-openings in the said lower endsof the frame-bars and having upper ends thereof, an adj usting-barengagspreading ends adapted to engage said jaws, ing saidscrew-openings, aws arranged in substantially as described.

pairs and inserted through the lower ends of NATHANIEL KUNS. 5 saidframe-bars, one jaw of each pair being Witnesses:

hinged to the other and adapted to be moved WV. 7. WATSON,

away therefrom, and screws extending into BENJ. L. PURDY.

